Preparing my car for my driving test
L Plates - You should have L Plates displayed on the front and back of your vehicle. If your rear window has a tint it is best to put the L plate on the outside of the window.
Legal Documents - Your car must display a valid insurance disc and road tax disc. You will also need a valid NCT disc if the vehicle is more than 4 years old. The insurance disc must have the green strip still attached, you can fold it over to fit it into the holder but you MUST not cut it off. I’ve witnessed many tests not going ahead because the applicant had cut off the green strip.
Tyres - All tyres must be inflated to the correct pressure. Tyre thread must not be below 1.6mm. It would be advisable to have worn tyres replaced on the car and not risk a test refusal as 1.6mm is the legal limit.
There must be no damage to the side wall of the tyre such as cuts, bubbles, rubber missing from the tyre, wire showing through or uneven wear. All wheel nuts must be in place.
Wipers - All wipers should be in good condition and should not leave water on the windows when in operation. I would strongly advise filling the washer bottle, even plain water is better than nothing.
Windows - Clean all windows inside and out and mirrors (it’s important to keep these clean at all times not just for a driving test). I see a lot of windscreens with streaks on the inside and this is not best practice.
Indicators and Brake Lights - The examiner will check front and rear indicators as well as brake lights. They will ask you to press the brake pedal while indicators on both sides are activated. Some older cars can have electrical issues - when the brake lights come on the indicators can dim significantly.
Interior - Remember that your car is the examiner’s workplace. It’s a really good idea to present a clean car for your test. If you smoke in your car I would strongly recommend not smoking in your car for a couple days before your test date.
Dashcams - There can be no recording devices turned on during the test. It’s probably best to remove one in advance as the tester can ask for a recording device to be taken out even if it’s switched off.
Baby Seats - It’s perfectly fine to leave baby seats or child seats in the back seats so long as they are securely fixed in place and cannot move around while the vehicle is in transit.
Instrument Cluster - There should be NO warning lights illuminated after the car has been started, a service light is ok. All secondary controls should be in good working order.
Hiring an Instructor’s Car - If you intend hiring an instructor’s car for your test all of the above should be taken care of by the instructor.